Roddy White gives Julio Jones (center) a high-flying hug after one of Jones' two first-half touchdowns.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

Roddy White gives Julio Jones (center) a high-flying hug after one...

Image 2 of 2

wide receiver Julio Jones (11) runs past San Francisco 49ers Linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in the first half of the San Francisco 49ers game against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA., on Sunday January 20, 2013.

"Jones was a big reason we were in it," Ryan said. "The two times we had chances on the plus side of the field, we turned the ball over. You can't do that in these type of games."

Jones also might have been injured in the second half, but he didn't talk to reporters after the game to weigh in on that. His two touchdowns were the most by a Falcon in a postseason game since Terance Mathis had two at Minnesota after the 1998 season.

Gonzalez, the former Cal tight end/power forward playing in probably his last game, had a touchdown catch in the second quarter. And he thought he could have had one on 4th-and-4 at the 49ers' 10-yard line with 1:10 left. Gonzalez was open, but Ryan instead threw inside incomplete to White.

"The defense kind of fooled us there," Gonzalez said. "It looked like it wasn't going to be open, but then it came open. It doesn't come down to that one play. We came out like gangbusters in the first half, and we should have continued that in the second half."

The Falcons got the ball back with six seconds left at their 41-yard line. Ryan, who was holding his left shoulder a lot late, didn't go for the Hail Mary but instead tried a 24-yard hook-and-ladder pass to Jones that didn't have a ladder.

"I was all right, good enough to go," Ryan said. "On the last play, we wanted to throw the ball around a bit, but we just didn't execute."

Ryan completed 30 of 42 passes and set Falcons playoff records with 396 yards and a 114.8 passer rating. He also threw three touchdown passes for the second consecutive game, but he needed four.

"I got to play with a guy like Matt," Gonzalez said. "We can say we did some damage in the NFL this year."

Gonzalez's eight catches for 78 yards and one touchdown were impressive, though it looks as if he will finish his career 1-6 in playoff games.

"That's probably going to be the last time I wear that uniform, or football pads and cleats," the 16-year veteran and sure Hall of Famer said. "I didn't want to take it off, to tell you the truth. All good things come to an end. ...